Fluid-motor.



WITNESSES 5% 6. WWW Z/WMW% w. A'. POWELL- FLUID MOTOR.

APPLICATlON FILED MAR 10, I917.

Paten ted Nov. 12, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

INVENTOR Z06? Paw/ ZZ- ATTORNEY w. A. POWELL. FLUID MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 10. I9.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEEY 2.

INVEN'I 'OR is. Faun ill?- BY lifi Wn NEssEs WWQMWUL W. A. POWELL.

FLUiD MOTOR.

APPLICATION mso MAR. IQ. 1911.

1 ,2%,76 Patented Nov. 12,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/6 c} INVENTOR WITNESSES KoM/(NM BY v v I f ATTORNEY ass at @FTQE.

WILLIAM A. POWELL, OF TRAFFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID-MOTOR.

Application filed March 10, 1917. Serial No. 153,915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. POWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Trafl'ord, in the county of W estmoreland and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of a fluid type rotary engineand has for its primary object to construct an engine of this characterin such a manner that the greatest amount of work can be derived fromthe expansive action of the fluid with practically no leakage of thefluid.

An object of the invention is the novel manner of constructing andassociating the parts so that the leakage of fluid is prevented in sucha manner that the friction of the movable parts will notbe increased.

A feature of my invention is the manner of constructing the valvemechanism so that a large quantity of steam or other fluid may bequickly supplied to the rotor and in such a manner that condensation ofany portion of the steam before action against the abutments will beprevented.

Another feature of this case is the connection between an abutment andthe body of the rotor so that expansion can be compensated for so thatthe center of the abutment will be retained in alinement with the centerof the abutment steam passage for preventing an unequal thrust.

With these and other objects in view the invention will be betterunderstood from the following detail description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalview of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view looking from another angle from thatillustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one of the valve disks.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which theabutmentpasses through the valve disk.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 Fig. 3.

*ig. 6 is a sectional view on the l1ne 6-6 Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View of an abutment.

Fig. Sis an edge elevation of one disk showing the rotor in dottedlines.

My invention contemplates the provision of a rotor including abutmentsacting in conjunction with diametrically arranged valve mechanism drivendirectly from the rotor and so associated therewith that leakage ofsteam between the valve mechanism and rotor is prevented.

My invention also contemplates the use of a valve disk so constructedthat the same may perform the dual function of passing steam to therotor and from the rotor.

Again referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a multi-unitcasing housing the valve disks 2 and 3 of valve mechanisms 4 and 5 andthe rotor 6. The casing also provides an abutment steam passage 7arranged concentrically of the shaft 8 on which the rotor is mounted.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2 the rotor consists of a circular body 9 fromthe peripheral surface 10 of which projects an annular flange 11. Formedintegral with and projecting from the flange 11 are lugs 12 slidablymounted in corresponding shaped slots 13 in the abutments 14.

Thus it will be seen that the abutments are free to slide toward andaway from the body of the rotor for the purpose of allowing the properexpansion thereof.

For the purpose of insuring a tight connection between the cylindricalsurface of the abutment and the wall of the passage 7 the abutment haspassed there around a packing ring 15 enlarged at the point 16 for apurpose to be described later.

The casing 1 supports packing rings 17 that bear directly on the flange,so as to prevent leakage of steam from the steam passage 7, around theflange into the atmosphere.

Cooperating with the rotor as heretofore stated, are the valvemechanisms 2 and 3 arranged at diametrib points relative to the rotorand as the disk valves 4 and 5 are identical in construction thefollowing description with relation to the construction of the valveswill be limited to the disk 5.

The valve is arranged at such a point that the peripheral portion of thedisk obstructs the passage 7 and the periphery thereof engages theperiphery of the flange 11 and for insuring a tight connection at thepoint of engagement the peripheral surface of the disk has mountedtherein a gasket 17. This arrangement prevents the leakage of steam pastthe contacting surfaces in a direction toward that portion of thepassage 7 that is exhausting. Adjacent its periphery the disk is cutaway to ,form openings 18 and 19, the number of which corresponds to thenumber of abutments used. In this particular instance only two openingsare shown owing to the fact that only two abutments are shown on therotor. I wish it to be understood that any number of abutments may beused and a corresponding number of openings formed in the disk.

The disk besides being provided with openings has radially extendingsteam passages 20 which may be any number.

Alternate passages extend in opposite directions to form two groups Aand B. The group A, referring to Fig. 1, extends from the left hand faceof the disk adjacent the center thereof to a point in the right face ofthe disk adjacent the periphery thereof, while the group B extends in areverse direction.

In the position shown in Fig. 1 the group of passages A, form theexhaust for the steam, while the group of passages B, form the intakefor the steam. The function of the groups of passages depends entirelyupon t what side of the disk steam is supplied.

The casing adjacent the center of each disk valve is enlarged to formchambers 21 and 22, the former in the particular showing in Fig. 1communicating with an exhaust pipe 23 while the latter communicates witha steam intake pipe 24:.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the inner ends ofthe steam passages are constantly in communication with either thechamber 21 or 22 and the outer ends of the passages are successivelythrown into communication with the passages 7.

For the purpose of preventing lodging of the steam at any point in itstravel from the steam chambers 22 to the passages 7 all of the outerends of each group of passages are in communication with each other,through a depression 25. Thus it will be seen that although certainpassages are in communication with the chamber 7, all of the passages ofthe steam intake group will contribute to the steam supply. If foundadvantageous in practice each steam intake pas sage adjacent itscommunication with the chamber 7 may be formed with a deflector 26 inthe shape of a projection arranged in the path of movement of the steam.Each projection is so shaped that pressure created between theengagement of the projection with the steam will help cause rotation ofthe disk in the proper direction.

' Referring more particularly to Fig. l of the drawings it will be seenthat two of the walls 27 and 28 of each abutment opening in the disk arearranged at an incline and adapted to cooperate with the beveled ends 29and 30 of an abutment. From this arrangement it will be seen that theopenings will be closed in such a manner as to minimize escaping ofsteam, as the beveled ends partly close the opening before the body ofthe abutment commences its travel through the opening and will continueto be partly closed when the body portion is leaving the opening.

To complete the invention a driven connection 31 is provided betweeneach valve disk and the rotor so that the valve disk may be driven inunison with the rotor so as to insure the proper registration betweenthe abutments and openings in the valve disk.

It is of course to be understood that antifriction devices will be usedto minimize friction and suitably arranged gasket rings to preventleakage but a detail description of the arrangement of all of the gasketrings will be eliminated.

It is to be understood that while all of the several features of myimproved fluid propelled rotary engine have special cooperation with oneanother and together constitute a particularly effective mechanism forthe purpose in view certain of these features may be applied in otherrelations, and I therefore desire to cover the combinations present inthe several parts of my improved engine whether employed in the generalorganization shown or elsewhere.

It is further to be understood that the structural embodiment of theinvention as a whole and its various features as shown is merelyillustrative and not restrictive since I am well aware that many of thedetails of construction can be widely varied without departing from thespirit of the inven tion. I therefore do not desire to be limited inthese particulars or in any others except as set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is 1; In a fluid motor, in combination. a rotor having aperipheral flange, abutments secured to the flange, a valve diskrotating at right angles to the rotor and having its periphery arrangedin engagement with the clrcular edge of said flange, said disk beingprovided with fluid passages alternately passing from one side of thedisk to the other whereby steam may pass to or escape from theabutments.

2. In a fluid motor, in combination. a rotor having a peripheral flange,abutments secured to the flange, a valve disk rotating at right anglesto the rotor and having its periphery arranged in engagement with thecircular edge of said flange, said disk being provided with fluidpassages alternate-1y passmg from one side of the disk'to the otherwhereby steam may pass to or escape from the abutment, and a. directdrive connection between the rotor and the valvedisk.

3. Valve mechanism for a steam rotor enginc, comprising a valve diskhaving a portion rotating through the steam chamber of the engine andprovided with steam passages alternately extending in oppositedirections and establishing communication between one side of the diskand the other side.

l. Valve mechanism comprising a valve disk provided with a plurality ofsteam passages each establishing communication between one side of thedisk adjacent the center and the other side of the disk adjacent theperiphery, alternating passages extending in opposite directions andmeans for passing steam to one side of the disk and throwing the otherside of the disk to communication with the atmosphere.

5. Valve mechanism comprising a disk having arcuate depressions formedin each face adjacent the periphery of the disk, steam passagesalternately extending in opposite directions and each communicating witha depression at one end and with one face of the disk adjacent thecenter thereof at the other end.

6. Valve mechanism comprising a disk having arcuate depressions formedin each face adjacent the periphery of the disk, steam passagesalternately extending in opposite directions and having communicationwith a depression at one end and with one face of the disk adjacent thecenter thereof at the other end projections arranged in the passages atthe depressions, and means for passing steam to one side of the disk andexhausting steam from the other side of the disk.

7. In combination with a valve disk having exhaust and intake steampassages, and transversely extending openings adjacent its periphery, arotor comprising a body and abutments secured thereto and adapted topass through said openings.

8. In combination with a valve disk having exhaust and intake steampassages and transversely extending openings adjacent its periphery, arotor comprising a body and abutments secured thereto and adapted topass through said openings, each of said openings having inclined wallsand each. of the abutments having wedge shaped ends adapted to cooperatewith the inclined walls for the purpose set forth.

9. A fluid motor comprising a casing having a circular abutment passage,a rotor consisting of a circular body and abutments secured to the bodyand moving in said passage, a valve mechanism including a valve diskrotating at right angles to the rotor and constructed to rotate inengagement with the rotor and} provided with openings for the passage ofthe abutments and radially extending fluid exhaust and inlet passages,said casing being constructed to form a steam chamber on one side ofsaid disk and an exhaust chamber on the other side thereof, and inletand exhaust pipes communicating with the chambers.

10. A fluid motor comprising a casing having a circular abutmentpassage, a rotor consisting of a circular body and abutments secured tothe body and moving in said passage, a valve mechanism including a valvedisk rotating at right angles to the rotor and constructed to rotate inengagement with the rotor and provided with openings for the passage ofthe abutments and radially extending fluid exhaust and inlet passages,said casing being constructed to form a steam chamber on one side ofsaid disk and an xhaust chamber on the other side thereof and inlet andexhaust pipes communicating with the chambers, said fluid passagesalternately extending in opposite directions and communicating withopposite faces of the disk, and the passages of each group communicatingwith each other adjacent the periphery of the disk.

11. In combination with a valve disk having exhaust and intake steampassages and transversely extending openings, a rotor comprising a bodyand abutments secured thereto and adapted to pass through said openings,certain of the walls of the openings being inclined and each of theabutments shaped to have portions thereof move in parallelism with saidwall in the passage of an abutment through an opening.

12. A fluid motor comprising a casing having a circular abutmentpassage, a rotor consisting of a circular body and abutments secured tothe body and moving in said passage, a valve mechanism including a valvedisk rotating at right angles to the r0- tor and constructed to rot-atein engagement with the rotor and provided with openings for the passageof the abutments and radially extending fluid exhaust and inletpassages, each having a portion of its wall offset to be acted upon bythe fluid in the passage therethrough for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM A. P OWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

